Thanks so much to Julie for the interview! I’ve always been very curious about The Crimson Mints. I have heard one of their songs, “Makes Me Want To”, that appeared on the compilation “Positively Teenage” that came with the This Almighty Pop! fanzine back in the day. I thought it was brilliant. So I wrote about the band, the few details I knew at the time, on the blog. During the years I’ve tried to interview the band members and find more information. Happily Julie, the band main songwriter and musician, got in touch not too long ago and was keen to answer some of my questions! So without further ado, please discover one of Newcastle’s best kept secrets!
++ Hi Julie! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Are you still involved with music?
Yes, I am still involved with music having just recorded an unplugged album called What’s Not Said, which is available via my website: jgrant.info
++ I’ve been searching for info about the Crimson Mints for a long time! I only know one song and I think it is fantastic! So thanks for the opportunity to learn more about the band. But something that caught my attention when checking your bio is that Island Records wanted to sign you and change your image. What’s the story behind that? When did that happen? And what kind of image did they want from you?
Island Records were interested in me in 1989 after I sent a demo to the A&R department which they liked. They were interested in me but did not want the band. I was very much into staying within a fixed unit rather than being a solo artist, which at the time, was not fashionable like it is now! They suggested I would be more sellable if I grew my hair and wore a dress! They hadn’t listened to the lyrics properly! I refused to leave the band and my authenticity behind.
++ You are working on a new album to be released this year. Care to tell me a bit more about it? Do you have a title yet? How many songs? What can people expect from it?
The new album What’s Not Said consists of ten songs written and recorded Jan-June this year. There is a track on there I wrote about the Island Records episode and the BBC (who are now just as bad) called I Am Not Her. It is a backlash against what they think a female artist should look like. Also on the album is our version of The Cranberries ‘No Need to Argue’ as a nod to them who I toured with in the early nineties. All the songs except the Cranberries one are original and written by me and Peter Collard, who plays guitar.
++ You are currently writing a memoir titled “The Gatecrasher”. What periods of your life will you cover in it? Will it include your time in the Crimson Mints?
The Gatecrasher is ten chapters of events from my life that I have chosen to write about. The ten songs on the new album are relevant to the ten chapters. The Mints will be mentioned as they were the first band that I put together and those songs were the first ones I wrote and sung.
++ Let’s go back in time. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what your first instrument was? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen to at home while growing up?
The first music I listened to were singers. Crooners. Englebert Humperdinck, Sacha Distel, Matt Monro. They were played on a radiogram in a neighbour’s house. She used to blast them out whilst doing her housework. This was back in the late 60’s. The first bands I listened to were: Rod Stewart and the Faces, Roy Wood, T Rex. Then The Jam who I saw several times. They made me want to be in a band.
++ Had you been in other bands before Crimson Mints? Or was it your first one?
Prior to the Mints I had been a drummer in a punk band but always wanted to write. Publication date TBA as it’s far more time consuming than a 3-minute tune!
++ What about the other band members? Were they in other bands too?
As for the rest of The Mints, I have no idea if they were in other bands prior to working with me.
++ Where were you all from originally?
We all came from Newcastle which was a particularly good place at the time for bands.
++ How was Newcastle at the time of Crimson Mints? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?
There was a lively scene and the only way people got to hear you was to come and see you. No bedroom streaming, or excuses because you are too lazy to go out. At gigs I would sell our cassettes and t- shirts. The Evening Chronicle Newspaper was very supportive. There was a brilliant journalist called Peter Kinghorn who would feature us almost every week and review our songs. There were magazines such as: Paint It Red and Guru, who too, were incredibly into what I was doing. The venues were better too back then. There was The Broken Doll where you could do two nights in a row quite easily as people always went to listen to the bands. The atmosphere was alive and there were no phones or television screens. In the early nineties there was Riverside which hosted early gigs from Oasis and other bands from the Britpop era and that’s when I ended up working under my own name as I had become recognisable artist and was known. Gigs would get booked under my name by promoters. It was not my intention to do that, it just happened.
++ What were your favourite bands in your area at the time? Was there any that you think deserved more attention, that should have been bigger?
My fav band of that era from Newcastle were called The Nivens. They should have done much more.
++ How was the band put together? How was the recruiting process?
I got them through placing an advert in a local music shop in the city.
++ Was there any lineup changes in the band?
Going back to The Mints, there were a few line up changes as is typical with musicians who are not as serious about getting somewhere as you are resulting in the more you do the less they want to do which makes continuing with that particular line up impossible.
The worst scenario is when they leave knowing you have things planned but do not see the gigs or recordings out, meaning everything gets cancelled and you are left as the one explaining why.
++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?
As with every song I write, the music comes first. Usually, I work with a guitarist. The rhythm goes down first then a bridge then the refrain. Then I write the vocal melody and lyrics on top. In the Mints I wrote some of those tracks (inc Makes Me Want To) totally by myself on an old guitar I bought cheap from a second-hand music shop. Other tracks the guitarist bashed out some riffs then we knocked it into a song once the lyrics were added. All the songs I have written post Mints have been co- written with whichever guitarist I was working with. Good guitarists are hard to find. There are lots of them about but it’s the most difficult role to fill believe it or not. Some just want to do solos or shredding and totally kill any melody that is supposed to be heard alongside.
We rehearsed in any rehearsal room in Newcastle where we could get a space as they were always full!
++ When recording the Crimson Mints songs, where did you record them? Did you use a professional studio? A producer?
As for recording, we did some stuff on a 4 track hence the not so perfect sound.
++ And why did the band have no proper releases? An album? Some singles? Was there no interest from labels? Or did you consider self-releasing?
Nothing was released officially as in a proper single as it was down to cost. It was not easy to record then and as I have previously said, Island just wanted me, or they would have funded an album.
++ My favourite song of yours is “Makes Me Want To”, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?
The track “Makes Me Want To” had a great rhythm and refrain and is probably my fav Mints song out of them all. It’s written about the hypocrisy of the human race and is being sarcastic!
Maybe I should record Makes Me Want To again, only a better version!
++ What were the best gigs that you remember? Any anecdotes you can share?
As for gigs, the best gig I ever played was at The Cooperage in Newcastle in 1989. We were on with Hugh from The Housemartins new band, The Penny Candles.
++ Were any of you involved in any other projects afterwards? I read you played with Sinead O’Connor? How did that happen?
Music was my life and I never wanted to do anything else which is why I continued and then advertised for new musicians and had my most successful career in the Britpop era, performing on television, recording sessions for BBC radio and singing with Sinead O’Connor. I was also in the national music press. There is footage of my appearance on East Coast Main Line in 1995 where we sung a band track and an acoustic track. I also appeared on BBC local television and Tyne Tees.
In the late 90’s I began working in the theatre on the production side and then I went on to work in television writing for BBC serial drama EastEnders.
++ What about fanzines?
I am not sure if any tracks made it on to flexi pop via fanzines. I can’t remember!
++ Looking back in retrospect, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?
The biggest highlight for me is doing television as you reach so many people.
++ And aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?
Apart from music I like photography, looking after my rescue Greyhound, Bonny, an ex-racer, and writing, books, prose, or reviews.
++ Never been to Newcastle, so want to ask a local. What do you suggest checking out in your town, like what are the sights one shouldn’t miss? Or the traditional food or drinks that you love that I should try?
As for Newcastle, it has changed dramatically. The vibe is no longer there like it was. The best venue, by far, is The Globe, on Railway Street, in the city centre. People’s not attend gigs like they did. They still go but there’s no excitement anymore they’ve already heard you by streaming whereas before, they’d go and hear the new stuff for the first time. Suddenly everyone is recording as it’s easy to do it now at home, so the whole experience is dampened down somewhat. Plus, with the lack of good venues it’s not as enjoyable from the performance side. The Globe, as I said, is great though. There is a proper stage, and you are always made to feel welcome. I don’t play that much these days due to ongoing health problems. I would play though if it were at a good venue with a decent promoter and a compatible support or headline artist.
Newcastle City is good if you are young and like the night life. It’s full of bars and restaurants and is only a 15 min drive to the beach. As for local delicacy, I’d say toast a stottie cake! Add butter. That’s it! There are lots of different cuisines here to try that you’d get in any city in the UK. My tastes are simple and plain, so I’d stick to fruit and yoghurt regardless of where I was!
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